Amy's column in WaPo says 11/4, but its not the one you guys posted yesterday.

DEAR AMY: I am a conservative Republican and like to think Im open-minded. I have friends across the political spectrum. One of these friends is (politically) the opposite of me. Im fine with that, but this friend seems to enjoy attacking my politics and, well, it gets personal.

I can take it, but the other day she announced that she does not intend to vote! Do I have permission to tell her to step off? If she doesnt vote, she doesnt get to trash someone elses political point of view, right?-- Furious

DEAR FURIOUS: First of all, thank you for asking my permission to do something. I sure wish my kids would.

I agree with you that your friend should exercise her right to vote for her candidate with the same passion and vigor she attacks your point of view.

However, your situation illustrates the beauty of our system. You and your friends, neighbors and fellow citizens have the right to passionately express your political opinions. You dont get to restrict or suppress someone elses freedom of expression. Nor can you demand that someone else vote.

However, I agree that voting is a right and a duty of citizenship that we should all treasure. I hope parents will take their kids to the polls tomorrow to demonstrate this.

DEAR AMY: I am 13 and have the best dog ever. He usually follows me around the house, and mopes when Im gone.

He hasnt been following me around the house as much lately, and has been acting kind of mopey. I believe this is because I recently got a smartphone. I am worried that I have been spending too much time on it and not giving him enough attention. Hes only 5, and hes healthy.

I love this dog with all my heart and am saddened by the thought that he might feel that I dont love him. How can I make sure Im spending enough time with my dog and not my smartphone? What are some ways to resist using my smartphone?-- Smartphone Addict

DEAR ADDICT: First, you and your folks should make sure your buddy gets a good medical checkup right away. Dogs tend to act mopey when theyre not feeling well.

You are perceptive to see that your inattention has a real impact on your dog. It is possible that he is sad and depressed because he misses you. This is similar to the way some kids report feeling neglected by their parents when their parents play Words With Friends instead of talking and listening with full attention to them.

I recently read an interesting interview with psychologist Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other(2011, Basic Books).

Turkle pointed out that an important part of adolescence is the ability to be on your own for the first time, amusing yourself and exercising some independence. Your phone is your constant companion now; it fills a space that should be filled with your own imagination and with interaction with your best dog buddy, friends and family.

When you come home from school, put your phone in a drawer for two hours. Close the drawer and leave it there (not in your pocket). You and your dog will feel much better if you play and hang out together without the distraction.

DEAR AMY:Sad in the South wrote a heartbreaking letter about her mother, who was an alcoholic, and her father, who was in denial. I highly recommend checking out Adult Children of Alcoholics ( adultchildren.org ).

This is a wonderful 12-step program for people who grew up in alcoholic or other dysfunctional homes.Sad must be willing to accept that alcoholism is a generational disease that affects all members of the family. It will affect her children, too, even if she never drinks a drop. She must be willing to understand that the only person she can change is herself.-- Been There

LW1: "Do I have permission to tell her to step off?" What are you, 6? Do you need permission to go to the bathroom too? You should be thrilled that someone who does not share your views is not voting. That's one less vote against you. Idiot.

LW2: Some adult relative who thinks the kid is on his phone too much wrote this. Stupid letter.

"Turkle pointed out that an important part of adolescence is the ability to be on your own for the first time, amusing yourself and exercising some independence. Your phone is your constant companion now; it fills a space that should be filled with your own imagination"

Bla bla bla.

"When you come home from school, put your phone in a drawer for two hours. Close the drawer and leave it there (not in your pocket). You and your dog will feel much better if you play and hang out together without the distraction."

Today is the phone. Before that it was the video game system. Before that it was the tv. What egghead calls distraction is what most kids are focused on.

Hey Tonka,I bought a new toy yesterday - digital cam-corder.It's a Samsung, but last year's model. It was marked down $100 dollars, so I scooped it up along with a tripod and memory card for just under $150.I'm not real happy with the sound quality though, but it's a lot of fun needless to say.Hopefully I'll get that YouTube channel going soon. But the camera does not lie, so I will have to be very cautious and selective on what I upload.....Thanks for posting the columns.

L1: No, you don't get to harass her to vote. "I hope parents will take their kids to the polls tomorrow to demonstrate this." I've been to polls that don't allow children in the poll booth with their parents. One poll worker told me it was to avoid having a reading-age kid shout out who mom/dad is voting for.

L2: Dear Amy: My mom is going to write a letter on my behalf to try to get me to see that I'm a spoiled teen who is ignoring his dog.

L1: No, you don't get to harass her to vote. "I hope parents will take their kids to the polls tomorrow to demonstrate this." I've been to polls that don't allow children in the poll booth with their parents. One poll worker told me it was to avoid having a reading-age kid shout out who mom/dad is voting for.

Take their kids? Oh, hell no. I hope that advice was intended for kids a bunch older than mine. With the length of the lines I've seen for early voting, there is no way in hell I would want to add to my misery by bringing my kids to stand there and be bored. If the obective is to encourage them to vote, bringing them to stand in that line, with no amusement park ride at the end of it, will result in them not wanting anything to do with voting ever again.

I find it interesting that such simple advice is so hard for so many people to follow. I can't tell you he last time ANYONE in my groupd of friends tried to bring up politics. The closest thing was recently I mentioned how long the early voting lines were and a friend looked at me like he was about to ask who I voted for, but then instead said, "I won't ask who you voted for".

<quoted text>Take their kids? Oh, hell no. I hope that advice was intended for kids a bunch older than mine. With the length of the lines I've seen for early voting, there is no way in hell I would want to add to my misery by bringing my kids to stand there and be bored. If the obective is to encourage them to vote, bringing them to stand in that line, with no amusement park ride at the end of it, will result in them not wanting anything to do with voting ever again.

My son has gone each time up to this year, and has gone in the booths with one of us. Luckily he was young enough that getting a few I VOTED! stickers were enough of a reward.

Tomorrow, he's getting on the school bus before we go vote. We did plan to go do it early, but the timings at the early voting places around us didn't work out.

<quoted text>I find it interesting that such simple advice is so hard for so many people to follow. I can't tell you he last time ANYONE in my groupd of friends tried to bring up politics. The closest thing was recently I mentioned how long the early voting lines were and a friend looked at me like he was about to ask who I voted for, but then instead said, "I won't ask who you voted for".People in the office are way more political than my friends.

I've got one friend who likes to talk politics all the time. Our conversations are respectful, tho, and we also talk about other things. Politics isn't something I discuss with most of my friends, tho. He's the only one who comes to mind.

LW1: I think that it would be perfectly acceptable to say "You're not voting? Then I don't want to hear your politcal opinions." and change the subject.

There was an *excellent* This American Life on over the weekend that discussed our politcal lives. It made me realize that my mom may have had it right. When I was a kid, I'd ask her who she voted for and she would get very irate and say "it's none of your business." Now I see why she felt that way - mostly because I'm now sure that she was voting exactly opposite of my step-dad and didn't want to hear his mouth about it.

LW2: Yup, what Angela said.

LW3: Pretty sure my mom and her sisters could use this; pretty sure they won't. They enjoy their Manhattan's waaay too much.

<quoted text>Take their kids? Oh, hell no. I hope that advice was intended for kids a bunch older than mine. With the length of the lines I've seen for early voting, there is no way in hell I would want to add to my misery by bringing my kids to stand there and be bored. If the obective is to encourage them to vote, bringing them to stand in that line, with no amusement park ride at the end of it, will result in them not wanting anything to do with voting ever again.

I took the kids with me for the '08 elections, but they were very small (Nunu was still confinable to a car seat) and had no problems. Even got interviewed by a kid reporting for a Swedish TV show.

This year we thought that Lulu had the day off, but it turns out she does have school and they are conducting their own elections. Clifford vs. Duck for President.

1. "I am a conservative Republican and like to think Im open-minded." By definition, you're not. But that doesn't give your friend the right to be a jerk. Tell her if she can't be civil in her discussions, then you will not take part, and her lack of respect makes you question your friendship. I would not have a problem giving her the boot.

<quoted text>I took the kids with me for the '08 elections, but they were very small (Nunu was still confinable to a car seat) and had no problems. Even got interviewed by a kid reporting for a Swedish TV show.This year we thought that Lulu had the day off, but it turns out she does have school and they are conducting their own elections. Clifford vs. Duck for President.

Yeah, they did that election thing at my kid's school too. I just question what information they are being given and how it is being presented. He asked me about 'Obama & & Mitt Romney' in the car the other day. And then started babbling "facts" about both that were not true. So I was like,'who told you that?' He never really had an answer. Concerned over if the teacher was spewing misinformation(unlikely I think) or if ther were kids who picked up on political talk at home and were spreading the nonsense to kindergarten.

But he got a sticker that said "I Voted" and underneath said "kids vote too"

<quoted text>Yeah, they did that election thing at my kid's school too. I just question what information they are being given and how it is being presented. He asked me about 'Obama & & Mitt Romney' in the car the other day. And then started babbling "facts" about both that were not true. So I was like,'who told you that?' He never really had an answer. Concerned over if the teacher was spewing misinformation(unlikely I think) or if ther were kids who picked up on political talk at home and were spreading the nonsense to kindergarten.But he got a sticker that said "I Voted" and underneath said "kids vote too"

I'm glad that they're using fictional characters in Lulu's "election." I don't need any additional political nonsense; got enough of that already.

<quoted text>. Concerned over if the teacher was spewing misinformation(unlikely I think) or if ther were kids who picked up on political talk at home and were spreading the nonsense to kindergarten.

I think it's mainly other kids. My son came home with some particularly vile statements from kindergarten last year, and after we carefully talked around the subject (trying to tell him that the statements were not appropriate--they were on the level that could get adults reported to the Secret Service) we found out he got them from another kid.

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